Low White Blood Cell Count (Neutropenia)

White blood cells fight infection. A normal white bloodcell count is between 5,000 and 10,000 cells. A white blood cell count below 1,000 cells increases the risk of infection. In some cases, your child may be given a medicine, such as “G-CSF (granulocyte-colony stimulating factor),” to help increase the number of white blood cells in the bone marrow.

Differential

Different types of white blood cells have different jobs. The “differential” is part of the blood count report that shows the breakdown of the various types of white blood cells in your child’s blood count.

The term “ANC,” which stands for “Absolute Neutrophil Count,” is the total number of neutrophils in your child’s white blood cell count. We often refer to the ANC as the “infection-fighting” count. The lower the ANC drops, the higher the risk of infection. When the ANC drops below 500, the risk of infection is high.

ANC Value

Risk for Infection

Lower than 500

Highest

500 to 1,000

Moderate

More than 1,000

Lower

On most blood count reports, you will see the ANC already calculated for you. You can also ask your health care provider to tell you the ANC. To calculate the ANC yourself, use this formula:

Look at your child’s differential. Add the percentage of segs (sometimes called polys or PMNs) and bands together (combined, these make up the neutrophil count). Multiply the neutrophil count by the white blood cell count (WBC).

Example: WBC = 1,000, % segs = 20%, % bands = 1%

ANC = (% segs + % bands) x WBC

ANC = (20% + 1%) x 1,000

ANC = (0.21 x 1,000)

ANC = 210 (high risk for infection)

Signs of Infection

While there are no outward signs of a low white blood cell count, it’s important to be aware of the timing of low blood counts following chemotherapy. Whenever your child receives chemotherapy, you’ll want to speak with the nurse about the timing of low counts.

Call your health care provider right away if you notice any signs of infection, including:

If your child has a central venous access device (central line or port), check for redness, swelling, pain or pus at the site. A child with a low ANC may not have redness or pus, but could still have an infection.